PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tiago Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Richard Bravo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mendez comes to the cage accompanied by Trap Door. Richard Bravo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mendez
vs
Bravo

184 cm
24
180 lbs
11 - 11 - 0

178 cm
23
177 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Tiago Mendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Richard Bravo!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Steven Brown and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mendez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
You can see the frustration on Bravo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Mendez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bravo keeps working.

Mendez decides to stand back up.
Mendez misses with a takedown attempt - Bravo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mendez wants to clinch up but Bravo keeps it at a distance.

Bravo forces Mendez back against the cage and clinches.
Mendez tries to break the clinch but Bravo is controlling the position.
Mendez is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bravo gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Mendez jumps into guard, dragging Bravo to the mat.
Mendez wants to stand and escape but Bravo is having none of it.
Mendez keeping full guard, as Bravo tries to pass.
Bravo wants to control from the top but Mendez keeps moving.
Mendez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bravo is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez is trying to control the position but Bravo postures up.
Bravo with a nice head shot there.
Bravo forces his way into half guard.
Bravo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mendez keeps working.
Mendez wants to control but Bravo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Bravo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Mendez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Bravo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Bravo is looking to take a break and control but Mendez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bravo working the head and body with strikes.

Bravo is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Mendez sees it coming and defends easily.
Bravo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mendez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Nice strikes from Bravo there.
Mendez wants to get back to his feet.
Mendez is not content to let Bravo control the position.
Bravo seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Mendez actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bravo thows a huge punch but Mendez dodges it nicely.
Mendez is refusing to be controlled, as Bravo sits in half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Bravo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mendez on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Bravo trying to control from half guard but Mendez is working away.
Bravo working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Mendez trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bravo is looking to stall here but Mendez recovers full guard.
Bravo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mendez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mendez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bravo is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Bravo trying to control but Mendez is working from the bottom.
Bravo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Bravo drops back, looking for a kneebar! Mendez looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Mendez looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Mendez!
Bravo regains half guard.

Mendez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Bravo is not content to let Mendez control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Richard Bravo will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Mendez closes the distance and pushes Bravo back into the cage.

Bravo ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Bravo no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Bravo wants to sweep here but Mendez controlling him for the moment.

Bravo escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mendez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Bravo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mendez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mendez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mendez advances to half guard.
Bravo slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mendez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Mendez trying to control but Bravo is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez wants to get up but he can't break Bravo's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Bravo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mendez can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Bravo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Mendez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mendez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Bravo keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.
Mendez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bravo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mendez is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mendez is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.

Bravo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Bravo looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Mendez passes into side control.
Bravo is trying to control Mendez's posture but Mendez avoids it.
Mendez landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Mendez is looking to take a break and control but Bravo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bravo is looking to regain half guard here but Mendez keeps moving and retains side control.
Bravo struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mendez decides to stand back up.
Mendez tries to clinch up but Bravo circles away and keeps his distance.
Mendez shoots in looking for a takedown but Bravo manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Mendez's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Bravo walks into a straight right hand from Mendez.
Mendez lands a jab to the nose.

Bravo instigates a clinch.
Bravo can't get the takedown.

Mendez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mendez moves out of range of the strikes.
Bravo lands a lovely overhand right.
Richard Bravo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bravo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bravo misses with a straight right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez connects with a nice looking jab.

It looks like Richard Bravo has been cut.
Mendez moves out of range as Bravo strikes.
Bravo misses with a looping left.
Bravo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mendez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A head kick misses from Bravo.

Mendez shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Mendez showed some decent athleticism there.
Mendez wants to free his trapped foot but Bravo is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Bravo is trying to maintain the position but Mendez is very close to passing his half guard.

Mendez wants to work for an arm triangle but Bravo is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bravo wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiago Mendez dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Richard Bravo's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Bravo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bravo wants to slow Mendez down by chopping away at his legs.
Bravo slips a jab and a cross from Mendez.
Mendez misses with a takedown attempt - Bravo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bravo fails to land the takedown.
Mendez misses with a takedown

and Bravo counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Mendez's guard now.
Bravo trying to control but Mendez is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bravo is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Bravo trying to control but Mendez is working from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Bravo postures up in Mendez's guard and throws a big left but Mendez blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bravo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Mendez keeping full guard, as Bravo tries to pass.
Mendez pulls Bravo in close to prevent any damage.
Mendez keeping moving, preventing Bravo from controlling successfully.
Mendez wants to stand up but Bravo is controlling him.

Mendez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bravo is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bravo wants to control from the top but Mendez keeps moving.
Bravo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Mendez trying to control the position.
Tiago Mendez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Bravo trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mendez controls Bravo momentarily but Bravo frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Tiago Mendez.
Bravo throws a right hand that Mendez ducks under and follows up with a left that Mendez also avoids with ease.
Bravo misses with a head kick.

Mendez closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Bravo quickly recovers to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Bravo manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Bravo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Mendez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bravo swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez wants to control from the top but Bravo keeps moving.
Bravo wants to stand up but Mendez is controlling him.

Bravo working for a triangle but Mendez defends it easily.

Mendez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mendez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Mendez trying to control but Bravo is working from the bottom.
Bravo looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Bravo working for a triangle but Mendez defends it easily.
Mendez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Mendez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Bravo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Mendez scoring with some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Richard Bravo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bravo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Richard Bravo!